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  • Characterization and Compar...
    Benmokrane, Brahim; Elgabbas, Fareed; Ahmed, Ehab A; Cousin, Patrice

    Journal of composites for construction, 12/2015, Volume: 19, Issue: 6
    Journal Article

    AbstractThis paper presents an experimental study that investigated the physical, mechanical, and durability characteristics of three different types of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars made of basalt and glass fibers with vinylester and epoxy resins, namely basalt/vinylester (B/V) FRP bars, glass/vinylester (G/V) FRP bars, and basalt/epoxy (B/E) FRP bars. First, their physical and mechanical properties were assessed. Then, a comparative durability study was performed on the three types of FRP bars under alkaline exposure simulating a concrete environment. The alkaline exposure was achieved by immersing the bars in an alkaline solution for up to 5,000 h at 60°C. Thereafter, the properties were assessed and compared with the unconditioned (reference) values. The test parameters were (1) fiber type (basalt or glass); (2) resin type (vinylester or epoxy); and (3) conditioning time (1,000, 3,000, and 5,000 h). The test results reveal that the G/V composite had the best physical and mechanical properties and lowest degradation rate after conditioning in alkaline solution. The B/E composite ranked second, while the B/V composite evidenced the lowest physical and mechanical properties and exhibited significant degradation of its physical and mechanical properties after conditioning.